Chapter 7

Cry of the Celts

A/N YAYYYYYY I HAVE 3 FOLLOWERS! I know that might not seem like a lot, but to me it total is. I'm kind of freaking out a bit. Thank you guys! So anyway, yeah, it's been a few days, yeah I've have to get caught up on a lot of schoolwork (we all know how that can be), and I've been planning a trip to Florida with my friend over spring break so that takes up a lot of time. But I'm here now writing for your enjoyment. The title of this chapter once again comes from Lord of the Dance, and is the opening song to the show. (The church bells I put in the story is a reference to the song!) So, yeah. Once again, I'm sorry for the wait, but I hope you will enjoy this chapter none the less. Oh, and me no own, you don't sue. Okay? Oh and there are going to be some flashbacks, so I will indicate those with italics and one of these ~*~.

The Brooklyn Boys Warehouse was bustling with most of the newsies who had gone to see Aoife sing at Medda's , save for some of the younger ones who had to go to bed. Games of poker were being played at respective tables around the room and cheap alcohol was being served. To Aoife, this was the most fun she had had in a very long time, longer than she can remember. The last time she had this much fun, was when she and Liam were little, only 8 years old.

"Come on Liam, come on!" An eight year old Aoife yelled behind her as she ran in front of Liam. She ran and skipped down the worn dirt path their parents had made for them laughing as she turned to see Liam struggling to keep up. "What's the matter Lam? Can't keep up? Afraid a girl is going to beat you?"

"We'll see about that!" Liam called, and as if he sprouted wings from his heels, he caught up to Aoife in a flash and tackled her to the ground rolling down the hill in the many acres of their backyards. Laughing and screaming as they tumbled down the hill, they finally stopped, Liam's arms still wrapped securely around Aoife's waist from when he had brought her to the ground. The both instantly stopped laughing as the two of them realized the position they were in and quickly scooted away from each other very innocently.

"Are you okay?" Liam asked checking his own arms for any cuts or scrapes.

"I think I'm okay." Aoife answered doing the same. "Are you?"

"I think so." Liam answered.

The two children looked around. They seemed to have fallen down the big hill that was about 2 miles from their houses and landed up in a small ravine. To the side lay a forest outlined by a stone wall and an opening that was overgrown with roots and hanging vines.

"Aoife let's go look at this."

"I don't know Liam, maybe we should go back home."

"Oh come on. What, are you afraid?"

Huffing up her chest, Aoife got up and stomped ahead of Liam to the mouth of the forest. It didn't look too dangerous.

"Let's go." Liam said gently taking her arm and leading her into the forest. Much to Aoife's amazement, it wasn't what she thought it would be like inside the forest. It was bright from the mid-day sunlight and the trees seemed to be a happier shade of green than the ones in the front of the house. But Aoife was still worried.

"Liam, I still don't know about this place, what if this forest is home of the Fianna Éireann? What if they rob us? Or mistake us for deer and hunt us? Or-"

But before little Aoife could say another word, Liam's clasped his hand over her mouth.

"Aoife, nothing is going to happen. And besides, I bet I could be the leader of the Fianna Éireann!" he shouted triumphantly as he let go of Aoife to pick up a tick and brandished it like a sword.

"Liam, be careful! Don't hurt yourself!" Aoife scolded.

" The infamous hero Fionn mac Cumhaill never gets hurt! Now let's go find the goblin Aillén mac Midgna and ill him for terrorizing the town!"

Despite Aoife's protests she soon chased after Liam deeper into the woods staying close to the path that was marked. When she had caught up to Liam she noticed he had stopped running, stopped moving in general, as if all of his energy had drained out.

"What is it Liam." Aoife asked worried it was some sort of wild animal. But as she got closer to Liam she noticed it wasn't a wild animal, or any sort of creature for that matter. No, in fact, it was one of the most beautiful things Aoife had seen. There in what seemed to be in the heart of the forest, was a small pond. Connecting to the pond was a small brook and a weeping willow drooped gracefully, its vines swaying in the breeze creating ripples in the water.

"Wow." Aoife said. The two children slowly walked forward, thinking to themselves if this place was real. It had looked like it came out of the pages of Aoife's fairytale book, and for a split second, they were worried they were going to have a run in with the good people. The two kids gently pulled the curtain of vines from the willow tree and stood under the umbrella of vines. It really was a fairytale land. Rays of sun were shining through the vines and small fireflies getting an early start on the night were whipping about.

"This is out spot." Liam announced.

Ad for 5 years after that until Liam left, it was their spot.

Aoife was brought from her memories and into reality as Nuala draped an arm around her shoulders.

"Great party ain't it?" she asked.

"Yeah, its lots of fun. Have you tried talking to Ryder yet?"

"No." Nuala admitted. "I go to, but every time I try I get nervous and tongue tied and I end up stuttering like an idiot. Maybe it's just not meant to be."

"Well, you never know unless you try. Look he's eight over there." Aoife said cranking her neck over to where Ryder was, leaning up against a crate alone gazing over the people at the party. "Just go up to him. Feicfidh tú a bheith breá" Aoife said using the very words that Nuala had said to her just hours before. "I'm going outside, I need some air."

As she walked out of the room and into the cold night unaware of the stormy eyes following her, she walked down the docks and peered over the edge into the water. The moon had rose high in the sky casting a constant moving reflection in the water below. Aoife took a deep breath and sighed, her mind wondering back to the memories of when she was young. Suddenly a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Whad are ya doin out here?"

Aoife whipped around to see Liam standing in front of her his thumbs hooked on his belt loops a grin on his face.

"I just needed some air." Aoife replied. A few moments went by before Aoife spoke again. "Liam, do you remember that day when we found that fairytale forest?" she asked. Liam was silent for a moment, his face expressionless, and his eyes unreadable. But when he opened his mouth to speak, his gaze peered past Aoife's shoulder to see five figures sauntering towards them from the end of the dock. Instinct telling him they were not friendly, Spot grabbed Aoife's forearm an rushed her back inside the warehouse.

~*~Meanwhile inside…~*~

Nuala's heart had begun to speed up again. It happened every time she went to talk to Ryder. But it was true, every time she would try to talk to him as something more than a friend, her chees would get red making it clearly obvious that she liked him and she would stutter and ramble trying to get something out, but would usually end up with her cursing in Irish and walking away without so much as a sorry.

Well, this time's going to be different. She thought to herself. She got close to Ryder and saw her turned and flashed her a beautiful smile when her noticed her, but before she could say one syllable, the doors of the warehouse burst open, casing everyone in the place to jump and look up at Spot.

"Boys, I think's we'se got some uninvited guests here tonight, so I want my council to come with me, da rest of youse stay here, but be ready for any kind of trouble. "

Aoife noticed about 5 boys get up immediately from what they were doing (including Spot and Nuala who looked like they were going to be getting somewhere) to follow their leader outside.

Once there, the boys at the end of the dock had gotten closer and were now about 30 paces from the Brooklyn council.

"Nuala, take Aoife and get inside. Dis might get ugly." Spot said recognizing who it was that was walking towards him.

"No way." Nuala said defiantly. She had always wanted to prove to her brother she could be in his council, but he had always thought of her as too meek, not to mention no girls were ever part of newsie councils.

"Níl mé ag magadh, Nuala." Spot said sternly. I'm not joking. But she stood her ground, even though she was a tad scared, even though she would never admit it. But even if she wanted to run, she couldn't because in a few more steps the intruders would be mere steps away from them. But to Nuala's and Spot's relief, Ryder stepped closer and a bit more in front of her.

Aoife on the other hand had no idea what was going on, but as soon as she saw one of the boy's faces, she knew it was nothing good.

"Spot, t's the boy from the alley!" she whispered to him and she was right.

Matches stood a couple steps behind his leader. As the Queens boys were menacingly walking towards Brooklyn, no one noticed Echo sneaking around the back behind the large crates, careful not to be seen.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't Spotty-Boy. How ave' ya been?" Balade asked with fake politeness.

"Wadda doin here Blade, you'se don't belong ovea hear. Go back to dat pit youse call Queens."

One of Blade's boys went to go in for spot, but Blade held out a hand to stop him, even though he would like nothing better than to see his largest newsie beat the tar out of Spot. But that was for another day.

"Ah-ah Spot, I'd watch what I'd say if I was you."

"Or what Blade? Remember, you'se is far away from home, but I'se have a full warehouse of boys ready ta fight if they have ta." Spot smirked as he noticed a few of Blade's boy's tae tentative steps back.

"Just remeba Spot." Blade said taking a couple steps forward almost getting chest-to-chest with Spot. "We'll be watchin. We'se knows it was chu who beat up one of oua boys, an no one gets away wid somethin like dat. You'ar boys had bedda be watchn their backs. " The two boys starred down for a few seconds before Blade broke the contact to gaze over Spots shoulder to look at Ryder

"Heya Ride. Still see you'ar second round' here? That's good." He said as his gazed moved lower. "Oh lookie here boys!" his gaze landing on Nuala who gave the best glare she could muster back at him. "Looks like Conlon let his cutsie litta sista into this all- high-and-mighty council. You'd betta watch out little Nuala, dis is no place foar a liddle goil like youse. Something might happen to yas." Blade said with a sly grin. Ryder fists clenched at his sides, stepped fully in front of Nuala, prepared to protect her if Blade tried anything. This gesture just made Blade chuckle as she slowly moved back down the line to Spot. Except this tie Spot wasn't his focus.

"And how's are you me dear?" Blade said, this time addressing Aoife. "Haven't seen you'se around here before. I woulda remebred a face a pretty as you'ars." Spot inched closer to her. "My sources also tell me youse got a pretty voice? You know Spot, I would really hate ta ruin a face as beautiful as hers, but I will, if you don't learn you'ar lesson." At this point Spot was glaring daggers at Blade, his arm wrapped protectively around Aoife's waist.

"Get oudda here!" He yelled.

"Don't worries Spotty- Boy, we'se will. But we'se will be back. You can count on dat."

And Blade and his boys turned around and started making their journey back to Queens. Spot turned to look at Aoife was paler if that was even possible. She met Spot's gaze and flung into him, her head resting in the nook of his neck and shoulder.

"Spot how did he know about my voice?" she asked. "he wasn't there tonight, no one from Queens was you said."

"I'se know." Spot said. "But I'se wouldn't worry. Boroughs always make threats like dat and neva carry em out. Not to say dat you'se can't be careful, I'se just wouldn't worry. Dey'se is always all talk and no action. Now come on everybody. We'se betta end dis party, we'se got woik early tomorrow."

A/N not my best ending, but it's late, I have class tomorrow and I am REALLY tired, but I just couldn't go another day without uploading. My readers have just been so nice that you deserve it! So review, follow and favorite! Feicfidh tú a bheith breá once again means you'll be fine. And I thought of Spot's "council" as kind of like his selected most trusted newsies like his second and his best fighters. Kind of like the toughest Brooklyn Boys. (I just picture the boys from the "have no fear Brooklyn is hear, line in the move, when all the boys are lined up with their sling shots. That type of thing.) And in the flashback, Spot s pretending to be the Irish mythical hero Fionn mac Cumhaill, whose warriors called The Fianna Éireann lived in forests as mercenaries, bandits and hunters. These are real Irish tales focused around The Fenian Cycle is also referred to as Finn Cycle or Finnian Tales. There is one where the leader of the Fianna Éireann after killing a goblin by the name of Aillén mac Midgna who would terrorize the town by playing music on his harp (an ugly goblin playing a beautiful harp, weird I know) Fionn used a magic spear Spots stick) that left him immune to the music and killed the goblin. And the "good people" are the fairies. So there you go! I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks you all who review! I love them, keep em coming! Hopefully the next chapter (which is going to be leading up to one of the big climaxes) will be up sooner than later.